I was 16, it was my first proper joband I was absolutely useless (not for the lack of trying). Imagine the sort of person who, after they wiped a cabinet down, it looked muckier than before – that was me (and still is to be fair). I was clumsy, lacked common sense and relentlessly said the wrong thing, the worst was when I said the dreaded C-word…cheap. The owner corrected me before I could even finish my sentence, “It’s not cheap, it’s affordable” – 14 years later and that moment has frozen in my mind.
Remember when they used to have those little TVs in Woolworths, the ones that played adverts on repeat? I have a faint memory of standing in an aisle being mesmerised by a JML magic scarf – I mean, all the ways to wear it!! Now that was cheap. But affordable, affordable’s when you stumble across something where the quality overrides price, something that makes you feel that you’ve got to press proceed to checkout before the brand comes to its senses. That is what I’m here to share with you today, 10 under £10. An edit of my most beloved beauty products, no magic scarves in sight.
Now, what I’m asking you to do here is erase all memory of St Moriz’ infamous ultra dark mousse, this product is NOTHING like that. It’s a sun-kissed olive tone, very subtle and really does leave my skin more radiant. I find with some face tans my skin can look more dull from using them, this really does the opposite. One or two droplets is all you need for the entire face. Thank me later on this one!
Possibly the best value product from the entire brand. You may or may not know that Beautypie offers their members luxury formulas, made in the same labs that produce your favourite bouji brands, for a fraction of the price. These pre-soaked exfoliating pads contain 5% glycolic acid and fruit enzymes to resurface skin, paired with niacinamide to reduce the look of large pores and strengthen the skin’s barrier. A true hidden gem.
This is undoubtedly my favourite product from The Inkey List. Reasons being is that it’s quite a large size (the rest of their products are teeny tiny Sylvanian sized) and ultimately – it cleanses the skin so efficiently while leaving it soft, supple and in no way tight or uncomfortable. Sensitive skins in particular, this one is for you.
I want to write a love letter to this hair mask. My hair is that awfully complicated type – greasy at the roots and crying out for moisture at the ends. My hair strands are thin but I have a lot of them. So I’m a tough critic when it comes to haircare, and this is a hair mask where the quality would warrant them selling it at double the price. It nourishes hair to perfection, without a hint of residue or weight. They also sell it in a larger (and much more easy to access tub receptacle) which is a staple in my shower at all times.
She may not be millennial pink, but she’s definitely shelfie worthy. Weleda’s skin food has had somewhat of a moment with beauty lovers and makeup artists. A true multipurpose product that provides the most glossy finish to skin, nourishment to dry cracked hands and can also be paired with lippie to create a cream blush. I love the glossy skin look it gives but for everyday wear there’s also a Weleda Skin Food Light which is about half the thickness in consistency and great as an everyday moisturiser for dry winter skin.
This little red bottle has created somewhat of an infamy for itself on the likes of TikTok. A high concentration of AHA and BHA exfoliating acids makes for as close to an ‘at home peel’ as you can muster for under a tenner. When used correctly, (once a week tops) it works wonders for skin that is need of some serious exfoliation, just proceed with caution (avoiding eye area) and remember if you’re a Gen Z then your skin won’t be needing this kind of heavy duty exfoliation just yet.
Formulated with zero fragrance colour or alcohol, sensitive and reactive skin is in great hands with this one. I’ve adored The Body Shop since I can remember, and still adore it. They know sensitive skin, and this cleanser is one of those fail-safe delicate skin heroes. If you’re feeling like breaking the £10 budget and widening your search, add the Camomile Cleansing Butter to your cart too. I’ve bought it on repeat for about a decade.
A recent discovery for me has been AHC. Already Korea’s number one aesthetic skin care brand, it’s now launched in the UK with an affordable price bracket for such high quality formulas. Their Aqua Nourishing Sheet Mask is one to make note of, it’s one of those sheet masks which spills out with serum from the moment you tear it open, which is what I like. An ultra-juicy hit of hydration for inflamed or irritated skin.
I remember when I first started using CeraVe, a far cry from the beautifully adorned packaging of my other skincare lotions and potions – but it was just THAT good. For someone with dry and easily sensitised skin, there’s nothing more comforting than a product you can rely upon to A) not further irritate it and B) repair it.
This is truly one of those cleansers that, when I have it, I will reach for it over ones that are triple the price. It’s quite unusual in texture for a cleanser (it almost feels like a moisturiser), rich in squalane oil it can be used to remove makeup or just to cleanse the skin. I personally prefer a balmy cleanse to remove makeup, so this for me is my staple morning cleanse or second cleanse in the evening. Make sure to cut this one open because there’s a whole load of product left in when it’s seemingly finished, you’ll want to savour every drop!
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